Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle, Rethink

The goal is to let all materials work at their highest value...first REDUCE, if you can't reduce REUSE, if you need to REPAIR, and when something is beyond help RECYCLE. For more tips on how to use salvage materials in construction

Window replacement is a great energy retrofit for an existing home. But what to do with all the old sashes?? How about use them to make a little 3-season hide-away in the yard? smile emoticon This particular little cottage is a painting studio.

Reminder to reduce & reuse, with these beautiful kitchen cabinets made from shipping pallets. Carefully taken apart, planed, fitted, & sanded smooth to reveal the lovely wood below. I saw this photo at www.facebook.com/1001Pallets

Here's anther addition to the "reduce, reuse, repair, recycle" category...a lamp beautifully crafted from wine bottles. Would be simple to make, actually. Drill out the cork & run the wire through, connect the cord to screw-in light hardware, and slide the hardware up into the cut bottle. Voila!(Of course use compact fluorescent or screw-in LED bulbs for energy savings!)

Nearly every tile project has some odds & ends left over. They get piled somewhere, rarely used. But this floor makes use of those extras, by combining the left over bits into a beautiful mosaic floor.

TinyHome made with salvage materials...one person's trash is another's treasure...